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Rice Football 2023: Tulane presser quotes and depth chart

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Rice football hosts Tulane this week. Here’s what Mike Bloomgren had to say about the matchup at hand and a few depth chart notes.

Head coach Mike Bloomgren and a set of players met with the media for their customary weekly availability. They recapped the Tulsa win and looked ahead at their upcoming matchup with Tulane.

Listen Now: The Roost Pod – Breaking down Rice Football vs UConn

We touch on those items, then dig into the Rice football depth chart and what the team looks like heading into the weekend. First, the quotes:

Press Conference Quotes

“Looking back, I’m still proud of how our team attracted bye week and how they prepared for that game at Tulsa. It’s a well-deserved team win, as complete of a win as we’ve had against an FBS opponent. [There were] a lot of things to be proud of in that game.”– Mike Bloomgren on the Tulsa win

“This is not the kind of football team we played in our conference last year. This is a team that looks a lot more like Texas or Houston. This is a talented team from top to bottom. And in some ways, I guess that’s what the American [Conference] is. The American’s, a great conference week in and week out, but these guys won that conference last year. And you see why. You see how well coached they are. You see unbelievable effort across the ball. You see a team that does a great job taking care of the football and taking it away. So there’s a lot of things they’re going to be a good challenge for us.” – Mike Bloomgren on Tulane

“Michael Pratt, I just felt like he was the heart of soul of that team in so many games last year. You go back to the last time they were in Houston playing the team across the street, what he did to lead them back to that overtime win and the way they fought, there’s a lot of good stuff in there. I think it’s a guy that’s very comfortable in their system that they all seem to believe in and he certainly believes he has the answers.” – Mike Bloomgren on Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt

“After all those injuries, I had a glimpse of who I was, but like I say all the time to my teammates, I’m almost a fifth year, but that’s just by my classification, playing-wise, I’m stil a sophomore. My body is still kind of young in terms of how I look at it… My main focus was just, can I get better every day?” – Corner Tre’shon Devones on his mindset returning from injury this season

“If I’m being honest, I owe all success that I have to him. He’s been an older brother to me, helped me with all the struggles that I’ve had… I wouldn’t be here without him… He’s just got so much experience. Over the last four years he’s done everything for this team so he knows how to run every route and block every play, and he’s also just so emotionally inteligent too.” – Tight end Boden Groen teammate Jack Bradley

Depth Chart

Rice Football

Depth Chart Notes

There was one official change to the Rice football depth chart this week, but it was a procedural update. Freshman kicker Enoch Gota, who has handled kickoff duties for some time now, was formally listed as the kickoff man for this week’s game against Tulane. It’s more so a correction of a lagging update than a true change. Additionally, an OR designation was added at the punter spot between Conor Hunt and Reese Keeney. We’ll have more updates on other plans for Saturday shortly for subscribers.

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The Roost Podcast | Ep 164 – Rice Football thumps Tulsa

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Rice football returned from the bye and got right back in the win column, posting an impressive prime time victory over Tulsa.

Everybody exhale. Rice football needed a bounce-back win in the worst way and they found it on Thursday night against Tulsa. The Owls put their loss to UConn in the rearview mirror, posting their largest margin of victory against a conference opponent in a decade. Let’s break down the win.

You can find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 164.

Episode Notes

DCTF

The Roost Podcast is now part of the Dave Campbell’s Republic of Football Podcast Network. You’ll still get the same content with the same hosts, but now under the DCTF banner.

Homefield

We’re thrilled to partner with Homefield Apparel, the premier proprietor of college football clothing. First-time buyers can use the code ROOST for 15% off their order. The Owls hoodie is a personal favorite. So is the brand new Luv-Ya-Owls shirt. Shop the Rice collection or pick up something else (or both)!

Homefield

Patreon

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Recapping Rice Football vs Tulsa

  • Defense comes out guns blazing, forces three turnovers
  • Offense works through some first half quirks, but settles into a groove
  • The offensive line delivers its best performance of the season
  • JT Daniels has another great game
  • Playmakers emerge: Dean Connors, Landon Ransom and more
  • Optimism regained as the team heads into the Tulane game?

Where can you find us?

The Roost Podcast is part of the Dave Campbell’s Republic of Football Podcast Network. You can find this podcast and all of our partner podcasts on Apple, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

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Rice Football 2023: NFL Owls Week 7 Roundup

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Rice Football is well represented on 2023 NFL rosters. Here’s the latest from the NFL Owls in action in Week 7.

There are former Rice football players scattered across the NFL. Stay tuned each week for their game results and notables from each player.

Team NFL Owl(s) Week 7 Result Week 8
Denver Broncos Elijah Garcia (DL) vs Packers W, 19-17 vs Chiefs
Detroit Lions Jack Fox (P) at Ravens L, 38-6 vs Raiders
Indianapolis Colts Kylen Granson (TE) vs Browns L, 39-38 vs Saints
Los Angeles Rams Austin Trammell (WR) vs Steelers L, 24-17 at Cowboys
New England Patriots Calvin Anderson (OL) vs Bills W, 29-25 vs Dolphins
Pittsburgh Steelers Chris Boswell (PK) at Rams W, 24-17 vs Jaguars
Seattle Seahawks Myles Adams (DL) vs Cardinals W, 20-10 vs Browns
Tampa Bay Bucs Nick Leverett (OL) vs Falcons L, 16-13 at Bills

Offense

Calvin Anderson – OT, Patriots

Anderson was inactive in Week 7 for just the second time this season.

Kylen Granson – TE, Colts

Granson was not activated from the concussion protocol this week and was inactive for the Colts’ Week 7 loss to the Browns.

Nick Leverett – OT, Buccaneers

After being active in all of the Bucs games to this point but not playing, Leverett saw his first action of the season on special teams in Week 6.

Austin Trammell – WR, Rams

Trammel returned his second kickoff as a Ram this weekend, taking it 20 yards, a career-long.

Defense

Myles Adams – DL, Seahawks

Adams returned to primarily special teams duty this week after posting back-to-back games with a tackle on defense.

Elijah Garcia – DL, Broncos

Garcia was inactive for Week 7. He last played for the Broncos in Week 5 against the Jets.

Special Teams

Jack Fox – P, Lions

Fox punted four times on Sunday, including a long of 61 yards. That was one of the lone bright spots for the Lions in an otherwise tough afternoon.

Chris Boswell – K, Steelers

Boswell attempted just one field goal try on Sunday, but he made it count, delivering from 53 yards out. He also tacked on three extra-point tries in another perfect outing.

More Owls in the NFL

From practice squads to current free agents, there are other Owls on the cusp of returning to active rosters. Find more detail on current contractual agreements and former Rice football players waiting for their next opportunity here.

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Rice Football 2023 Game Preview: Tulane

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Rice football heads back to Houston to host Tulane this weekend. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

There is only one matchup this weekend pitting AAC teams with winning conference records and it’s being played in  Houston. Rice football hosts Tulane a week removed from a primetime win over Tulsa on the road. Tulane comes to town fresh off a victory over North Texas. Here’s everything you need to know about this week’s matchup between Rice and Tulane.

Kickoff time | 3:00 PM CT
Venue | Rice Stadium – Houston, TX
TV | ESPN2 (Viewing Guide)
Radio | Varsity Radio App (Online)

Audio / Visual Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs Tulane on this week’s episode of the Blue and Gray Preview Show, streaming live on Wednesday at Noon on the Rice Athletics YouTube channel. Look for a recap of the game on the site afterward as well as on The Roost Podcast, which should be released early next week.

Sizing up the contenders

Tulane is still in the driver’s seat for the New Year’s Six bowl slot for the Group of 5. A loss to anyone along the way wouldn’t necessarily slam the door on that chance, but it would make it considerably more challenging. The margin of error is fully dependent on how well others play. The Mean Green would much prefer to control their own destiny in that respect, making a win on Saturday important.

Rice football doesn’t have New Year’s Six aspirations, but they do still have hopes for a conference championship game appearance. That would get much more challenging should they take on any additional losses. 3-1 with a win against the current conference favorite would officially put Rice on the map.

Series History

All Time | Rice leads, 20-15-1
Last Five | Rice leads, 4-1
Last Meeting | Home 2013, Rice won 17-13

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Rice Football Stat Notables

Passing | Daniels – 155/243 (63.8 percent), 2173 yards, 17 TD, 5 INT
Rushing | Connors – 50 carries, 300 yards (6.0 yards per carry), 4 TD / Otoviano – 47 carries, 171 yards (3.6 yards per carry), 2 TD
Receiving | McCaffrey – 36 receptions, 613 yards (17.0 yds/rec), 7 TDs / MacNeill – 21 receptions, 281 yards (13.4 yds/rec), 2 TD
Tackles | Conti – 46 / Wyatt – 45 / Morrison – 43
Pass Breakups | Fresch, Taylor – 5 / Devones – 4, Wyatt, Jean – 3
Interceptions | Taylor, Devones, Conti – 1

Tulane Stat Notables

Passing | Pratt – 80/113 (70.8 percent), 1121 yards, 12 TD, 2 INT
Rushing | Hughes – 118 carries, 619 yards (5.2 yards per carry), 5 TD / Clayton-Johnson – 28 carries, 116 yards (4.1 ypc), 0 TD
Receiving | Keys – 27 receptions, 494 yards (18.3 yards per reception), 6 TD / Jackson – 19 receptions, 329 yards (17.3 yds/rec), 4 TD
Tackles | Machado – 51 / Despaine – 37 / Grubbs – 31
Pass Breakups | Pedescleaux – 7 / Eight others tied with 2
Interceptions | Robinson – 4 / Five others tied with 1

Tulane X-Factor | Stay on the field

Tulane and Rice rank second and third in the AAC, respectively, in time of possession. For both squads, being able to control the game and dictate how it’s played has been a crucial factor in their success. It’s how Rice was able to post their largest FBS win of the season last Thursday, controlling the second half almost entirely with two long possessions.

Rice is 0-2 this season when losing the time of possession battle whereas Tulane’s success hasn’t been as neatly tied to whether or not they control the clock. If the Green Wave are able to maintain command this time, though, they’ll be able to amplify any miscues the Owls have. A three-and-out becomes much more costly when you don’t get to see the ball again for an extended period of time.

Tulane must seek to give Rice a dose of its own medicine. Force the home team to execute to near-perfect standards when they have the football and minimize their margin for error. That’s given Rice trouble in the past and it could prove fatal against a team as talented as Tulane. 

Rice X-Factor | Hit some home runs

Rice won’t allow themselves to be intimidated against the reigning AAC Conference Champions. They’ll enter Saturday believing they can hang with the Green Wave. They can solidify those beliefs further by proving they can impose their will offensively against a Tulane defense that has been a bit leakier in the secondary than they’d like to admit. 

Tulane ranks 12th in the AAC in pass plays of 10+ yards allowed and 10th in pass plays of 20+ yards. Rice, on the other side of the ledger, leads all AAC teams in the latter category and is second in the former. Rice quarterback JT Daniels has become this team’s biggest asset and they’ve leaned into that identity in full force in their wins so far.

Sustained drives against the Tulane defense is a tough ask. Getting a few chunk plays here and there, particularly through the air, will go a long way toward helping Rice trade blows with the Tulane offense. It’s critical the Owls find success downfield.

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One Final Thing

Earlier odds have Tulane as a 10.5-point favorite against Rice on Saturday. In actuality, the Owls are the underdogs, a role they’ve reprised well in the past. Only two programs in the country, Wyoming and Ohio, have more outright wins as a home underdog since 2021 than Rice. Rice has been a home underdog just once this season, in Week 2 against Houston. They won outright.

The line is also indicative of a game oddsmakers project to be much more winnable than one might have initially thought. Tulane enters this game as a Top 25 team. Rice hasn’t beaten a ranked team since 2020. Nevertheless, Rice’s impressive performance against Tulsa has evidently gotten oddsmakers’ attention. When this time is rolling, they’re dangerous.

Now, whether or not they’re firing on all cylinders is a legitimate question. The UConn debacle isn’t all that far in the rearview mirror just yet. But the opportunity they have in front of them right now is quite tangible. Rice football should be able to hang with this team. If they can keep it close long enough, they might just have another historic upset on their hands, but they’d better come to play.

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Quiet confidence permeates one of Rice Football’s biggest wins

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Thursday night Rice football posted a significant win in program history, but rather than respond with jubilation, the Owls responded with quiet confidence.

When the clock hit triple zeroes of Chapman Stadium, Rice football formalized a host of significant program achievements. The Owls hadn’t won a conference game by more than a touchdown since 2020. They hadn’t won a conference game by as many points (32) since 2013 and hadn’t won a conference road game by that margin since 2003.

By every estimation, this win was seismic — and it was — but the tone Rice football players and staff brought with them to their postgame media availability leaned much more toward serious than euphoric.

Head coach Mike Bloomgren, who has said now on multiple occasions, “the fun is in the winning,” seemed more focused than exultant.

He chuckled about quarterback JT Daniels’ rushing touchdown, just the second of his collegiate career. He praised the offense for controlling the clock, winning the time of possession battle 22:23 to 7:37 in the second half. He gave the defense its flowers for an explosive three-turnover first quarter.

But at no point during the discussion did the tone venture into anything that could be considered truly jubilant. Bloomgren was happy, sure. He stated on multiple occasions how proud he was of his players and his staff for their efforts. But the air was permeated with a businesslike, mission-accomplish aura.

“It just shows you when we play the way we’re capable of, we can do some real fun things,” Bloomgren summarized.

More: Rice football demolishes Tulsa in big program win

If the national television audience was surprised to see the Owls absolutely obliterate a team that was favored to beat them on their home turf, Bloomgren didn’t seem faced. It’s almost as if, despite the ebbs and flows it’s taken the program to get to this point, he expected it.

That approach was echoed by his players.

“It’s a big win for us, we’re of course excited, but we’re definitely not satisfied,” safety Gabe Taylor, who had a big interception on Thursday said. “We want more. We’re 4-3. That’s a good record, but we know we’re not supposed to be here. We’re just ready for Tulane next week.”

Running back Dean Connors, who rushed for three touchdowns and 120 yards on nine carries, addressed the upcoming game with Tulane, too. “It’s about stacking days, and we stacked three great days of work [at practice this week]. And I think to beat Tulane, who’s a really solid team, we’re going to have to do that all over again and do it better.”

From Bloomgren to the pair of veteran leaders, it’s almost as if the page had already been turned. And it wasn’t as if they’d taken the game they just finished for granted, they just knew they had bigger goals still to achieve.

Perhaps the real message Rice football hoped to send on Thursday night on ESPN went well beyond the final score. Sure, 42-10 is impressive and as Taylor put it, “I hope they were looking,” but what Rice football really wants people to know is this team is in a different place, mentally.

“This week, we proved a point,” Taylor said.

It’s hard for one singular game to be a referendum on the season as a whole. The Tulsa game likely won’t define the entire season, neither will the upcoming bout with Tulane.

But if Rice football has really found a way to lock in and carry themselves with the level of seriousness and focus it takes to play like they did on Thursday night, this program really could be different moving forward. Whether or not that continues rests on the shoulders of this team. Maybe, just maybe, they’re past wake-up calls and ready to take the next step. If so, Thursday night was a great first step.



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